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Abstract:

This paper investigates the sources of the extremely high level of owner occupation in
Ireland. After using census data to explore the evolution of this phenomenon, the paper makes a cross-country comparison of owner occupation within the EU-15. Explanations are found for the high level of owner occupation that go beyond fiscal privilege to include wider microeconomic factors, as well as historical factors. Within the EU-15, the Irish housing stock is exceptional not just in the high incidence of owner occupation, but also in the small number of dwellings relative to population.